


Two Of A Kind

by MyFirstAndLastVow09



Series: Nygmobblepot One Shots and Short Stories [13]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: 5x11, Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 10:13:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18547729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyFirstAndLastVow09/pseuds/MyFirstAndLastVow09
Summary: Takes place a few weeks after 5x11.Ed is sore about the brothers comment that Oswald made about them. As happy as he was to put the past behind them...this bugged the hell out of him.Oswald is oblivious...or is he?





	Two Of A Kind

**Author's Note:**

> Post 5x11
> 
> No money being made; just for fun.   
> Not beta’d. All mistakes are mine.

_Brothers_.

 

_Brothers_. _**Oswald had said brothers...**_

 

This one simple word had been plaguing Ed Nygma for a better part of a straight week, and it was bothering him. He couldn’t get any work done. It set his teeth on edge to even think about it, but it couldn’t be helped. 

 

Ed was skittish around Oswald, avoiding him in ways that he would notice sooner rather than later. He most likely already had, if the other day was anything to go by. Oswald had asked Ed’s opinion on plans to rebuild the Iceberg Lounge, and Ed pretty much mumbled a response and fled the room. He could feel Oswald’s disappointment through the walls of the mansion; seeping into his very being. He hated that he made Oswald upset, but he couldn’t shake the crawling feeling of the brothers aspect between them that Oswald himself labeled.

 

Edward hadn’t moved out of the Van Dahl mansion, and Oswald hadn’t asked him to. They had a good routine going ...almost domestic, in a way; which suited Ed just fine. 

However, with Oswald there seemed to be something the man was holding back. Not necessarily hiding, per se; just withheld information, that seemed to encourage Oswald to keep Ed at arms length. Though, sometimes, he could tell all Oswald wanted to do was anything but that. Ed didn’t want to overstep whatever boundaries they had set, or he would just demand Oswald tell him what was going on.  

 

There was so much history in their relationship. So many wounds, old scars that Ed didn’t want to relive or remember; but the good things came to him in waves, making him happy for a moment, then sad and nostalgic all at once. One night he had found Oswald asleep on the couch, dozing after taking his pain medicine Lee gave him. Ed found it endearing how one of the most feared men in this city can be so downright adorable. 

 

He knew Oswald felt something more than brothers...he had to. Especially when Ed was so determined to leave Gotham; just leave it all behind...he stayed. He stayed to fight, at Oswald’s side with Jim Gordon of all people. 

 

But, Edward didn’t come back to fight for the damn city. He told Oswald he didn’t care about any of them. What he didn’t say was with the exception of one person...

 

Beyond all of that, Oswald had saved him from that grenade, essentially putting himself in harms way to save Ed’s life...AGAIN. He said ‘it was the least he could do’. _What the hell did that mean?!?!_

 

“Argh!” Ed exclaimed, annoyed, throwing the pen he was holding across the room. 

 

_Knock knock_... 

 

“Bad time?” Ed whipped around to see Oswald coming in his office with a steaming cup of tea in one hand. “Brought you this. Figured you’d need it,” 

 

Ed’s heart swelled. “Thank you,” Ed smelled it before he tasted it, so he knew what it was. “Ginger...with honey,” A million memories flashed into Ed’s mind all at once, making him dizzy. 

 

“I found some in the back cupboard. Olga and I have most of it cleaned out from expired things to dusting. Mind you, there wasn’t a lot of expired things, since food was so scarce anyway. I’ll restock tomorrow,” Oswald sat down in the chair across from Ed’s desk on the opposite side of the room. 

 

“You should be resting. Remember, Lee warned you she’d kick your behind herself if you overdo it,” Ed smirked. 

 

“I am not! Honestly, Olga did most of it. She insisted...I dusted, though,” Oswald quickly informed him. “Lee was rather concerned with my well being, much to my surprise,” 

 

“I wouldn’t trust anyone else to look at you. Ever since Strange...” Ed shuddered, and Oswald nodded once, knowingly. “Besides, she knows how much I—“ Ed’s eyes widened, as he almost blurted out what he was feeling. 

 

“How much you what?”

 

“Jesus, Oswald. She knows how much I care about you, damn it! I thought you would know that by now!” Ed huffed out, standing up and leaning on his desk to catch his breath. “How could you _not_ know?” 

 

“You didn’t exactly come out and say it...” Oswald defended, looking abashed.

 

Ed chuckled, darkly. He slowly turned back around to look at Oswald. “Oh, yes. We’re _brothers_ , right?” 

 

Oswald looked taken aback. “What?” He was blinking his one good eye rapidly. 

 

“You said _brothers_ , Oswald! Fucking _brothers_!” Oswald looked shocked at Ed’s language, but let him continue. “After everything we’ve been through! After what we put _each other_ through! I thought that I meant more to you than that! You sure as hell don’t seem like a _brother_ to me!” Ed’s blood pressure was rising he knew, because he was shaking with suppressed emotions spilling over. His face was surely flushed. 

 

“What exactly was I supposed to say? Besides, you’re the one who hugged me with a knife to my back!” Oswald stood up, walking closer to Ed. 

 

Ed stepped one step closer to Oswald. “You did the same thing!” 

 

“Why didn’t you stab me, then?” Oswald asked, petulantly. 

 

“Why didn’t you?!” Ed quipped.

 

“Look, Mr. Double-Talk, this isn’t what I signed on for! You made it abundantly clear years ago on that pier you didn’t love me.” Ed’s face fell at the lingering guilt. “I would never, ever, overstep my boundaries again. Especially when we have something good going now! I’d rather have you in my life as a friend...a partner, than not at all. I made that mistake years ago and it cost me everything. I won’t do it again,” Oswald had tears in (what would be) his eyes, but as it was, they rolled down one cheek. Ed could barely stand it. 

 

“You—you said we could start anew, right?” Ed asked, laying a hand on Oswald’s shoulder. 

 

“Yes. Yes, I did,” 

 

“Then, why don’t we? Can’t we give it a shot? You and me? We’re better together, just like you said,” Ed knew he was pleading, but he didn’t care. He lost Oswald once, by his own hand, no less; he almost lost him again in the firefight for the city against Bane. Ed refused to lose him again. 

 

“Ed...I...I don’t know. I don’t want to lose a dear friend over something like this. I can’t lose you again,” Oswald’s sobs came even harder, and he covered his mouth with one hand. “Not after all of this. It would be too much this time,”

 

Ed couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled Oswald to his chest and wrapped his small frame in his arms. Ed rested his head on top of Oswald’s. “I’m not going anywhere. Never again,” 

 

“You c-can’t promise that,” Oswald cried. 

 

“I swear to you with everything that I am, I am never going anywhere unless I am by your side. We are in this together. Do you really think I couldn’t have piloted that submarine alone? I came back for you.” Oswald pulled back, and Ed saw the tears shining in his one good eye. He still felt a pang of guilt when he looked at his bandaged eye. “I am still so sorry about that,” 

 

“You’ve apologized for this,” Oswald pointed to his eye, “a dozen times. It wasn’t your fault. I chose to save you,” He cupped Ed’s cheek with his hand. “I will always save you, if I’m able. I choose you. Always,” 

 

Now, it was Ed’s turn to get emotional. “You were always one for sweet talk,” Ed tried to joke. 

 

Oswald chuckled, rubbing his thumb across Ed’s sharp cheekbone. “I’d sweet talk you all day and night, if you want me to. But, that was the truth. You told me a long time ago that love is about sacrifice, remember? About putting someone else’s needs and wants above your own. It took me losing you to understand that, which I fully regret a hundred times over. I would give you the world if you asked me, Eddie,” 

 

“How’d this happen? I’m the one who was supposed to be doing the emotional...stuff,” Ed choked on a sob, clutching onto Oswald’s jacket tighter. 

 

“I got the jist, my love,” Oswald shushed him.  

 

“You still—after all this time? And everything that’s happened?” Ed’s throat felt thick with emotion rising, threatening to spill over.

 

Oswald’s soft smile was something Ed knew would always be etched in his kind forever. “I never stopped,” Ed gasped, and Oswald took that as an opening to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “And I never will,” 

 

“I love you, Oswald. Always,” Ed promised, leaning in to press his lips to his Penguin’s. 

 

As Oswald led them to his bedroom and shut the door, Ed knew it was cemented in history that these two would be always be two of a kind. Nothing would ever tear them apart again. This city would be theirs and nothing would be able to stop them. Oswald was right, as usual. They were stronger together. 

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think??? Am I the only one who gushed at the hug between these two? Please say I’m not lol   
> Thanks for reading!!


End file.
